Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Madam Chair. I know those dates were in there. They were thrown in there or put in there. I'm just wondering how those dates were derived. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I was glad to hear the Premier say that she is going to be looking for 100 percent of the funding for some of these potential larger projects, and the question I have for the Premier is: with a business case for each of those, how far along, or are we even started, and how long would it take this government to come up with those business cases? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess, looking at those major projects, if you look at this government, of course we do not have the money to take these on on our own, but we have got to look beyond that, though. Taltson hydro, for instance, that is close to Hay River, so I have interest in that. There is an opportunity to partner with Aboriginal or Indigenous groups and try to do something. I would hope that this government would reach out and take the first step to start talking about that, because there are jobs, there is some ownership, there is Indigenous ownership, and hopefully it's federal...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to touch on where it says, "Increase local supply and production of natural gas." In the South Slave, there is potential to have some of the communities supplied by natural gas, and I think it's Fort Simpson, Hay River, maybe Fort Smith, as well, and some of the other ones, and then maybe move that into a line into Yellowknife. There is some preliminary work going on, and I brought this up before. We have the oil and gas people sitting in Inuvik right now, and I am not quite sure what they are doing, but they probably have time on their hands, I suspect. If...

That's one yes. For the second yes, is she willing to direct her department to immediately start building a business case to make that happen?

Thank you, Madam Chair. A comment, I guess, to the Minister of ITI is that I think it's important that, when she does come to Hay River, she meets, you know, one-on-one with the businesses. We don't need bureaucracy there, except for me. That's what I would ask, so that there is a frank discussion and you hear what they are saying. Because you have to hear both sides, at the end of the day, and that's all I ask. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize at this time Germaine Michel from Hay River. She is a chaperone here with a few of the Pages who are from Hay River South. I would also like to recognize the Pages, who are Rochell Sabourin and Joseph Arcand. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess it's not just Indigenous governments, but it's others, as well, that are already doing work on the ground, and whether it's support from this government for the bureaucracy, they are just not getting it. They get stymied, and a lot of times it comes down to personalities, and we can't operate like that. We have to operate fairly. This government has to be fair. If there are rules and procedures and there is legislation, let's follow it. If it's wrong, then let's change it, but we have to be fair with everybody. We cannot be, "Well, I don't like you," or whatever...

Thank you, Madam Chair. The functionality of the airport, we will deal with Fort Smith, is still there, but I disagree with the Minister in saying nothing was taken away. There was something taken away. There was a section on both sides taken away. It was narrowed. I am glad that she is saying that there will be some more forward thinking and some thought put into any decisions made with respect to whether it is runways or anything else that we are looking at. Just a comment. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll take that as a yes, and thank you.